Hey ya'll. Don't have much time to write but I want to leave a quick update.
This week I "graduated" from the agent training program. The first picture you see is of some friends from agency. Carrie (the blonde) was hired at the same time as me for the same position. She was actually offered the agency I have now while I was in Mexico but declined. She wanted to take her chances that something else would open up soon a little closer to home (she lives further north than we do). Next to her is "Coach". His initials are TB - we call him Terry Bradshaw, TB, or Coach. He's a former high school football coach and absolutely hysterical. Provides endless hours of entertainment I'm going to miss being in the classroom wiht these folks. Our training group is spread all around the state from El Paso to Houston, Dallas, Austin, etc. Hopefully we'll get together again on the Ambassador Travel trip when we all make amazing sales numbers next year!
Wednesday afternoon I drove to College Station. That night I got to see Aurean for about an hour, then went to my friend Adrienne's house so I could see her kids before they went to bed. Michael was in 3rd grade when I met him - now he's a freshman! Adrienne claims she can never get him to smile for pictures but looks like he eeked one out for me. Lexi her youngest is in 3rd grade at South Knoll now. That just seems so strange!! Anyway Adrienne and I hung out on her front porch. She had a couple glasses of wine but I wasn't drinking. Chris and I are on a drinking hiatus until Thanksgiving for health, money, time, purposes. I made up for what I lacked in alcohol by chain smoking. haha It was great seeing her and goofing around again.
Thursday morning I went to an assembly at Consol (my old high school). This week is DEAD week (Drinking Ends All Dreams) where they do various presentations to educate the teens on the dangers of drinking and driving. Thursday morning they had 4 guest speakers. 2 were teachers - one lost a student, and the other lost her father. He was a police officer who was killed by a drunk driver in the line of duty. Another was a mother. She had a daughter in my class...and her son was killed 4 days after my friend Hollie. All 3 were very moving - lots of tears.
After they were done the MC came back and said "this next speaker requires some very special guidelines. No photos, no video, and no direct contact". His name is Kyle Johnson and he is the guy who killed my friend Hollie. I sat next to Hollie's dad, stepmom, and little sister. And we all got pretty emotional. It was such a strange sensation to finally see him and hear him. He gave a good message to the kids I think. Spoke about how he was just a normal kid just like them...and thought he was invincible UNTIL.
Kyle is still serving time in Lockhard. Hollie's parents speak before the parole board every year in hopes that htey will continue to deny his request for parole. He was wearing a white prison jumpsuit and shackles on his legs. They walked him in from the back entrance (with deputies) as soon as he was introduced and then escorted him directly back out when he was done. As soon as the back door shut Sam (Hollie's dad) got up and followed them out with a picture of Hollie htat he wanted Kyle to have. He wasn't allowed to talk to Kyle directly but gave the picture to a deputy and asked him to pass along a message.
There has been no resolution for this family. Kyle gave them a psuedo-apology during the speech, saying he wasn't sure if they were out there or not but he wanted them to know he was sorry ( we were sitting in the 2nd row - right in front of him).
Anyway it was a very draining day emotionally. I'm glad I got to see it - it was healing in some ways and gave some closure. I'm not sure if I will put myself through it again next year if he were to speak a 2nd time. I have to commend him on his efforts to let these young students learn through his mistake. I think it was a very powerful way to show them the other side of the destruction.
Afterwards Meg, Katy, Allen and I brought lunch to mom's office and ate with her. It was great seeing her! Katy was in such a good mood all day too. She is adorable. Then Meg and I took a final stab at capturing a good shot for my business card picture. I think we got several this time around - we are practically expert photographer/models now! haha
Anyway gotta get back to work now. Love you guys and talk to you soon!
